This invention provides an improved device for assisting in the opening of a wide range of common plastic bottle twist caps by increasing grip and leverage to the cap with an unprecedented ratcheting function that decreases the angular deflection demands on the user's wrists. Rotation is thus optionally broken down into multiple small movements or less larger movements depending on the user's desire. To maximize effectiveness the device accommodates a wide range of sizes.
Since their introduction plastic twist caps continue to be difficult to open for many users. While the integrity of the cap's robust seal ensures against content contamination and leakage, it is often a problem to achieve adequate cap grip to transfer the necessary torque required to break the seal. This is especially true for those with limited strength or physical impairment.
Many devices are widely known on the marketplace developed over the years in an attempt to mitigate this trouble. However previous devices have suffered poor effectiveness due to various shortcomings such as limited capability, ease of use, comfort, and or slippage due to a lack of traction or grip. Through an improved design, the current invention eliminates or renders insignificant the shortcomings of the prior devices while adding advantages heretofore not available.
The main body of the current invention has a comfortably pleasing shape that, in the preferred exemplary embodiment it includes two separate apertures each offering a different and slightly overlapping range of cap size capability. Located between the two cap apertures is a center portion housing a single rotatable cam with two contoured surfaces shaped for the purpose of engaging the bottle cap positioned in either aperture. The cam is additionally spring loaded to facilitate immediate engagement with the cap. Further, the cam shape is designed in conjunction with its surface roughness to ensure a progressive and adequate grip with the cap in order a user may break the seal without slippage. It should be noted that the progressive mechanical advantage and grip afforded by this specially shaped cam geometry is attained without any additional demand or detrimental effects to the user.
Another significant improvement over prior devices afforded by the current invention is the capability to ratchet the device thereby minimizing the degree of angular deflection required of the user's wrist. This ratcheting capability is achieved by again carefully designing the cam and its engagement surface in combination with the torsion spring that instantly releases the pressure and grip on the cap with clockwise rotation (or rotation opposite that needed to release the cap). It will be readily recognized that this fine ratcheting feature offers the possibility of minimal angular deflection of the user's wrist. Of course while the ratcheting feature improves function of the device for all users it is especially beneficial to those suffering limiting or painful physical condition such as arthritis.
It will also be duly noted that in order to achieve the aforementioned ratcheting capability the cam is configured to operate only in the one direction which causes release or unscrewing of the bottle cap. The reasoning being that the initial loosening of the cap is the greatest problem to manage, subsequent retightening or securing of the cap to prevent leakage is not a problem or concern.
While the device is intended primarily for use with plastic bottles and caps, it will be recognized that there will be a number of bottles or jars or other vessels with metal or plastic caps to which this invention has applicability to facilitate the removal of such caps.
While the preferred exemplary embodiment utilizes one cam with two separate surfaces to react against the caps it will be recognized by anyone skilled in the art that two or more cams could be employed to the same result albeit at the expense of increased complexity and cost. Also in consideration of manufacturability, it will be recognized that in one preferred aspect of the invention the main body of the device and the various components could all be made in a plastic material which is easily and cheaply molded in great quantity. In accordance with another preferred aspect of the invention the main body and cover are made in plastic while the cam is made of metal.
In accordance with another preferred aspect of the invention the cam is a single component that includes a spring which biases the cam against the bottle cap.